CNC 3axis in Brass C360

When to choose CNC 3-axis

• Prismatic parts with faces and pockets normal to a primary datum plane
• Prototype and low-volume runs where a simple vise setup beats rotary programming time
• Parts that tolerate one flip for opposite-side features rather than continuous five-axis access
• Plate and block stock where material removal is mostly facing, contouring, and pocketing
• When tight positional ties across tilted compound faces are not required

Setup and fixturing

• Soft jaws or machined parallels in a precision vise for first-op datum establishment
• Op2 flip on the same vise or a dedicated fixture plate when opposite faces need machining
• Aluminum workholding: avoid over-clamping that marks soft stock; use protective pads on finished faces
• Flood or through-spindle coolant to clear chips from deep pockets and keep flute load down
• Indicate stock top and stop against a hard stop for repeatable XY zero across a batch

Typical operations

• Facing and peripheral contouring to establish thickness and outer profile
• Adaptive or conventional pocketing with stepped Z levels for cavities
• Drilling, tapping, and spot-facing on Z-aligned holes
• Chamfer and deburr passes with spot drills or chamfer mills
• Optional 2.5D engraving or boss finishing with ball or bull-nose mills

DFM watch-outs

• Thin vertical walls under mill load chatter — keep wall thickness above the risk band or add ribs
• Blind pockets deeper than ~3–4× tool diameter need peck strategies and chip evacuation plans
• Internal corners cannot be sharper than the finishing end mill; design in a radius or plan EDM
• Undercuts and side slots usually force a second setup or a form tool — flag early in DFM review
• Tall thin bosses may need rest machining with stubby tools after roughing with longer reach
• Clamp marks on cosmetic faces: specify finished-face protection or machine cosmetics last

Capability

CNC 3-axis machining centers move the tool in X, Y, and Z while the workpiece stays locked to a fixed orientation. That constraint favors geometries built from planar faces, stepped pockets, and holes parallel to the spindle. Fixturing is typically a vise or fixture plate; complex compounds angles require either a sine plate (still discrete) or a move to 4/5-axis. Roughing uses high-efficiency toolpaths to clear bulk stock, then finishing end mills restore walls and floors to drawing tolerance. Because the spindle never tilts mid-cut, collision checking focuses on Z depth, holder diameter, and fixture clamps rather than continuous rotary envelopes. Lead times track spindle hours closely once the setup is proven, which makes 3-axis the default economical path for orthogonal aluminum and steel brackets in Batch1 industries.

Tolerances follow the enrich defaults (ISO 2768-m class factors from rates — no invented ISO grades). Surface finish is driven by step-over and tool condition; bead blast or anodize can hide tool marks on aluminum after machining. When a drawing calls for undercuts, wrapped profiles, or many non-orthogonal hole axes, escalate to 5-axis or split the part into mill-then-secondary operations rather than forcing heroic 3-axis fixturing.

Rates record 3-axis spindle time at 25/h with a one-time setup of 30. Hub mid bands for shared SAMPLE_GEOM materials still match other CNC slugs until seo-combo wires axis — use this hourly/setup metadata for capability cards, not as a fabricated public price delta.

DFM lines for CNC 3-axis

• On 3-axis mills, walls thinner than 0.8 mm (2V/A proxy) chatter and deflect under end-mill load — thicken or add ribs before quoting as production.
• Undercuts and back faces on 3-axis usually need a second fixture/setup; design for single-side access or accept flip cost.
• Deep prismatic pockets with bbox longest/shortest ≥ 8 or solid fill ≤ 35% need long-reach tools and slower feeds on 3-axis.
• Internal corners on 3-axis match end-mill radius; sharp internal corners imply EDM or a follow-on op — call out early.
• Characteristic thickness under 1.5 mm on prismatic 3-axis parts is a watch band — verify fixture support opposite the cut.

Brass C360

C360 free-machining brass is chosen for fittings, bushings, and electrical hardware where chip breaking and surface finish matter more than aluminum weight savings. It turns and mills with low force and excellent chip control, producing bright surfaces that often need little cosmetic secondary work beyond degrease.

Frame conductivity, corrosion behavior in non-marine indoor use, and machined brightness. Enrich-compatible finishes may include polish and selective plating paths — do not advertise anodize (aluminum-only). Property copy must sound like brass, not like 6061 anodize guidance.

Watch for stringy chips if feeds are too light; C360 usually breaks chips well at recommended feeds. Soft jaws prevent hexagonal bar mark-off. Avoid carbon-steel contamination on show surfaces bound for polish.

Single-material SAMPLE_GEOM band for C360 leaves — no cross-alloy industry span wording on this hub.

C360 mills with light forces; sharp tools and modest SFM keep edges crisp for threaded bosses.

This alloy hub

Finish compatibility on this hub is framed for a single alloy family: list only finishes that enrich marks compatible with this material_slug. Do not present a cross-material finish menu here — that belongs on industry hubs that span alloys.

Open the properties block with this material’s density, typical temper/condition (when known from catalog), and machining character. The table is alloy-centric: one row set, not a comparison across all Batch1 metals and polymers.

Price band on a process×material hub is the SAMPLE_GEOM band for this one material (often qty1/10 sit on the min-order floor). Say “for this alloy on the sample geometry,” never “across aerospace-to-medical mixes.” Child industries share the same mid until industry is wired into comboQuote.

On 3-axis material hubs, pair the alloy property table with orthogonal pocket/face DFM — still alloy-first, not industry use-case essays.

Public price range

Aggregated from Batch1 child leaves for this hub (8 pages). USD, rates v1.1, public ±12% on the 50×50×20 mm sample. Compare qty 10 $117.92 ($103.77–$132.07); qty 100 $597.1 ($525.45–$668.76).

Single-material SAMPLE_GEOM band for C360 leaves — no cross-alloy industry span wording on this hub. Price band on a process×material hub is the SAMPLE_GEOM band for this one material (often qty1/10 sit on the min-order floor). Say “for this alloy on the sample geometry,” never “across aerospace-to-medical mixes.” Child industries share the same mid until industry is wired into comboQuote. Not a confirmed order price.

Process comparison

Qty 10 public mid is the median of process×material hub mids, with the span of those mids in parentheses. Tolerance labels and finish names come from the hubs-enrich pack. The machine-rate column is the rates card, not a part price.

Material data

Contract fields from the material endpoint. A missing number is unknown, not an estimate.

Finishes

Finishes for Brass C360 from rates v1.1 only — USD/part adders, not a full quote. Filtered per material compatibility.

• For Brass C360, Bead Blast (bead_blast) adds $5 USD per part with no batch minimum in rates from rates v1.1 finishes_usd_per_part.
• For Brass C360, Powder Coat (powder_coat) adds $12 USD per part with no batch minimum in rates from rates v1.1 finishes_usd_per_part.
• For Brass C360, Polish (polish) adds $15 USD per part with no batch minimum in rates from rates v1.1 finishes_usd_per_part.
• For Brass C360, Nickel/Zinc Plate (nickel_or_zinc_plate) adds $10 USD per part with batch minimum $50 from rates v1.1 finishes_usd_per_part.

Questions